with these tips your kids will sleep through the night (and so will you)
Does a full night’s sleep feel like a lifetime ago? Are you already having your fourth cup of coffee at six o’clock in the morning to feel just a little less persuaded (and in vain). Then you might need some sleeping tips for your little one(s). Sleep coach Fleur Minjon has the tips, so that you too sleep like a baby (who sleeps).
Are they coming.
Contents
1. Sleep creates sleep
“We all know the well-meaning advice to keep your child awake during the day or to go to bed extra late. Then your baby will sleep a long night. Unfortunately nothing could be further from the truth. The night is a mirror of the day and that means the less sleep a child has during the day, the less sleep there will be at night. Think of waking up often or very early in the morning. How may sound crazy, but a rested child, by sleeping enough during the day, is a child that will have a nice long night and will start the day at a good time.
So always make sure you get enough sleep during the day, don’t let naps fall too quickly and as soon as it’s really time for your toddler to say goodbye to the nap, go for an early bedtime of 6:00 p.m./6:30 p.m. to maintain that good night’s sleep. Do you have a day with only short naps, you are on the go or do you have to wake up because the other kids have to be picked up from school? Even then an early bedtime can be your salvation for a good long night.”
2. Wake times
“As long as there are naps, there are waking times and these waking times can make a big difference in the quality of your child’s sleep. If you put your baby to bed awake and not yet tired enough, this can lead to a short sleep. But if you put your child to bed overtired, falling asleep and staying asleep is often a lot more difficult than when the timing is just right.”
3. Timing is key
“Waking times are therefore a good guideline for some guidance and rhythm, but watching your baby is always the most important thing. Sleep signals are always there key for the perfect timing of a nap. To gain more insight into this and to find out which waking times are the right ones for your child, it is often nice to log your child’s sleep for a few days. There are scientifically substantiated waking times for each age, but because every child is unique, logging often provides a lot of insight into your child’s sleeping behavior and needs, including when it comes to nutrition.”
Bedtime routine
“Something that is often underestimated but oh so important for a good nap or a long night’s sleep is the routine. From eight weeks, a fixed bedtime routine is already one tools which can give you a lot. A good bedtime routine doesn’t have to be complicated and can be effective even if it’s very simple. By consistently offering a sequence of events for each nap, your baby will recognize it and know what to do. Because the routine keeps coming back, it not only becomes easier for your child to let go of the day and find its way to dreams, but you also optimally set your child’s internal clock. Melatonin production kicks in, the hormone needed to fall asleep, and the more you repeat the routine, the easier falling asleep becomes.”
Sleep environment
“Make it dark and I mean really dark. No nightlights, tape off the light of the baby monitor and perhaps a little less charming for your interior… but if your curtains are not dark enough, you can cover your windows with garbage bags. The tiniest ray of light can stimulate your child’s brain and make him think it’s time to wake up.
